Georgia arguably has been the best program in college football since NIL became legal in college athletics. They are the only school who has won multiple National Championships during that timeframe, so it’s hard to argue against them being the best since NIL began.
Georgia however isn't known for being the biggest spender. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does create some questions on if Georgia’s NIL strategy will work long term.
Georgia’s NIL compliment isn’t as great as it may seem
Kirby Smart knows exactly what Georgia's NIL strategy is. They will not overspend for any one recruit out of high school, but they will reward players who find success once they reach college.
That strategy has earned Georgia the title of being the "smartest" team with their NIL money. But is that actually a good thing?
Power Four general managers and NIL staffers see Georgia as the program that was “smartest” with its NIL money in the 2026 recruiting cycle:https://t.co/rlB0HfoO2e via @on3
— Jed May (@JedMay_) February 4, 2026
Georgia got off to a hot start in the NIL era. They won a National Championship the first two seasons NIL was allowed in college athletics and have continued to have great seasons since. But they have been unable to even get close to winning another title.
Georgia did go 12-1 in 2023 and won the SEC in 2024 and 2025, but since winning their last national title they have not won a single playoff game. That is not good enough at Georgia.
The Bulldogs also took a step back in the 2026 recruiting class as they finished No. 6 in the country. A lot of that has to do with losing big time recruitments like five-stars Tyler Atkinson and Jared Curtis, but before NIL those were recruitments Georgia would have won.
So while Georgia has continued to be one of the best teams in the NIL era, there are some cracks in the foundation over the past few years. It isn't to the point where anyone should hit the panic button, but maybe spending their money the "smartest" way isn't as good of a strategy as people think.